Improved mode of removing obstacles under water



T. K. ANDERSON. Blasting. No. 39,787. Patented Sept. 8, 1863,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS K. ANDERSON, OF IIORNELLSVILLE, NE? YORK.

IMPROVED MODE OF REMOVING OBSTACLES UNDER WATER.

Specification forming partof Letters Patent No. 39,787, dated September 8, 1863; antcdated October 26, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS K; Axnnnsox, of the town of Horncllsville, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have in- .vented a new and useful mode of removing obstacles of any description and at any depth under water by the'mcans of a peculiarlyconstructed cannon or mortar to be suspended, submerged, and brought to bear and discharged upon or against the object; and the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in whicl1 I Figure 1 represents a view of the mortar suspended from a boat by the operator to act upon a ledge of rocks. Fig. 2 shows a side view of the mortar. Fig. 3 is asection through the center with the cavity for the charge of powder and the fuse-tube for igniting and discharging. Fig. 4 shows the front end or muzzle of the mortar.

My invention consists in the discovery of being able to remove obstructions of almost any size, form, or material, and at any depth under water by the means of a peculiar construction of a cannon or mortar, and the mode of suspending the same in such a way that the muzzle may be brought to bear upon an object at any angle or in any position.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and usemy invention, I will describe it more fully, referring to the drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The mortarA may be cast metal, the muzzle end a to be thick and heavy, in order to get a weight of metal. The disk a is made flat, so that it will stand .firmwh en in a vertical position. The outside may be a hemisphere or cone shaped having a smaller cone or large mass of metal, C, projecting from the rear to any desired length, through which is a small cavity, 0, or hole, extending from the bottom of the powder-chamber D to the small end I). This cavity or small hole 0 is for the purpose of igniting the powder in the chamber D by filling it with my patent unextinguisha-ble fuse composition, which may be rammed in in such a quantity as to give a sufficient time while burning before it reaches the charge of powder to lower the mortar and bring the muzzle to the object. The chamber D, when filled with powderup to the recess d,may be secured water-tight by having a sheet of thin metal fitted in and cemented, which will easily give way when the discharge takes place, thus bringing the whole force or action directly to bear against the object. Upon one side of the mortar A,I have a rib or flange, E, extending the whole length, the top forming a curve, through which rib is a seriesofiholes, e e e e, by which means a clei'is, F, and pin or bolt f are attached, so that the mortar A can be balanced to hang in any inclination or position. To the clevis F is attached achain or rope, I, by which the mortar is let down and drawn up again after it has been discharged. The position and aiming of the mortar may be aided by the addition of a rear end.

Among the numerous appliances that have been tried to blast rocks and remove hulks of vessels, sand bars, and other obstructions to navigation by the use of'gunpowder, not more than three-tenths of the discharges have prodt ced any available effects, there being no certainty that any amount of the force will be expended in the proper direction; but by my construction of a mortar, and the mode or bringing it to bear directly on the place or ob ject to be removed,'it has been found by the practical test that I havemade that it is a certain and sure thing.

Having thus described my invention, what- I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The application of a cannon or mortar constructed in such manner that it may be suspended and the muzzle brought to bearupon an object at any angle or in any position uner water, in the manner described, and for the purposes herein specified.

T. K. ANDERSON.

Witnesses J. B. WooDnm-r, N. \V. Non'rn'nur.

guy-rope, 17, attached to the 

